1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing bingo chips and more particularly to bingo chip dispensing apparatus having new and novel mechanism for sequentially discharging the lowermost chip in a stack of individual, vertically stacked bingo chips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The game of bingo is well known and is traditionally played by placing objects on selected numbers printed on a bingo card. The objects utilized to "cover" the bingo card numbers have included various items such as pieces of paper and corn kernels. More recently, cylindrical disks or chips have been utilized by bingo players.
Various devices have been provided heretofore for dispensing such chips as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,151 issued to Edward H. Davis on Mar. 27, 1979.
Other patents which are directed to the concept of dispensing disks, chips, and other objects include the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,766,298 issued to G. B. Macke on Jun. 24, 1920; 2,280,443 issued to J. F. Murray Et Al on Apr. 21, 1942; 2,434,993 issued to H. V. Dwyer on Jan. 27, 1948; and 4,216,878 issued to Gaetan Naud on Aug. 12, 1980.
The game of bingo is frequently played by elderly individuals who have lost much of the dexterity, muscle control, and ability which is necessary to satisfactorily manipulate the small chips as well as the devices which have heretofore been provided for dispensing such chips. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and novel chip dispensing apparatus which is physically easier to manipulate and operate.
It is another object of the present invention to provide chip dispensing apparatus which can be easily operated by individuals having diminished strength, dexterity and finger control.
Yet another object of the present invention to provide chip dispensing apparatus of the type including a manually graspable handle having a finger actuated trigger which is coupled to a linkage for moving a chip receiving slide between a chip receiving position where it receives the lowermost chip in a stack of chips and a horizontally displaced chip releasing position where the chip is released.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds.